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Montgomerie's campaign off to a winning start as Asia fall

COLIN MONTGOMERIE highlighted the importance of Europe making a winning start to a Ryder Cup year as he led the continent to …

Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand chips on to the 18th during the final day's singles at the Royal Trophy tournament at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi province, Thailand.
Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand chips on to the 18th during the final day's singles at the Royal Trophy tournament at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi province, Thailand.
Mon Jan 11 2010 - 00:00

COLIN MONTGOMERIE highlighted the importance of Europe making a winning start to a Ryder Cup year as he led the continent to victory over Asia to reclaim the Royal Trophy.

The Scot, standing in for Seve Ballesteros as the Spaniard continues his recovery from brain surgery, assembled a team blending youth with experience at Amata Spring Country Club, near Bangkok in Thailand, as they looked to claim a third victory after losing 10-6 to Asia last year.

The hosts came out on top in the opening day’s foursomes, but Europe rallied in the fourballs to take a one-point lead into yesterday’s singles.

A determined Asia were not going to relinquish the trophy lightly, however, and threatened to force a first play-off at the tournament as they trailed by one point with one match remaining.

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But, after Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee bogeyed the last, Swede Henrik Stenson kept his cool to make par from six feet to halve the match and secure an 8½-7½ win for Europe.

“It was an honour to captain the team,” said Montgomerie. “We came here with a strong team and it was very, very close. All credit to my team for fighting. They all contributed at least a point out there this week and we did great.

“It is a very important year for European golf and this has been a good start for us, and we hope to build on this throughout the year.”

Montgomerie had opted to include himself as a player as well as captain the team to get a closer look at potential picks for his Ryder Cup team in October.

But the eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner certainly played his part in the victory as he drew upon his vast experience of matchplay to keep his cool against Liang Wen-chong yesterday, matching the Chinese number one’s birdie on the last to ensure the game finished all square.

Koumei Oda claimed an unexpected point for the hosts with a dominant 5 and 3 win over Alexander Noren, before Jeev Milkha Singh defeated Sweden’s Robert Karlsson 2 and 1.

But wins for Peter Hanson, Pablo Martin and Soren Kjeldsen meant it was down to the final match between Stenson and Thongchai to determine the outcome.

Stenson was three down after nine holes, but the world number seven battled back to level matters with three holes remaining.

However, a play-off seemed certain when Asia number one Thongchai coolly sank a birdie putt from eight feet on the 17th to go one up. But the Thai’s putt for par on the last shaved the lip before Stenson holed from seven feet to make par and secure the victory for Europe.

The performance of his team will give Montgomerie reason to be optimistic as he now focuses his attention on assessing potential picks for his team at Celtic Manor.

“I had seven potential clients here and we got on great,” he said.

“I think we on the European Tour do, as it is like a big family. We travel together, stay in the same hotels together and obviously play together. I just happen to be leading this particularly fantastic group of young talent coming into the Ryder Cup.

“There are a number of great, talented golfers in Europe and for the first time I really feel that we have a fantastic wealth of talent and we have just witnessed that this week.”